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Medvedev, Sarkozy to discuss S. Ossetia in Moscow

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-09-02 20:21

MOSCOW - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy are to meet in Moscow next Monday to find solutions for the crisis in the war-hit South Ossetia, Kremlin sources said.

Russia hopes that the simultaneous talks, between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, EU top diplomat Javier Solana and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, will contribute to the settlement, Itar-Tass cited presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko.

Related readings:  Possible EU steps in the South Ossetia crisis  Putin says Russia acts 'correctly' in S. Ossetia  US orchestrated conflict in South Ossetia, Putin says  Putin criticizes US over Georgia-South Ossetia conflict

An extraordinary EU summit shelved sanctions against Russia on Monday to cover internal divisions over Russia's fightback against Georgian troops attacking the Caucasus region and following recognition of the breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Russia welcomed on Tuesday the results of the EU summit, saying it took a "responsible approach."

The EU leaders will continue discussions with Russian leaders "toward a full implementation of the agreement on six points" that was reached between Sarkozy and Medvedev as a ceasefire for the Russian-Georgian conflict sparked on August 8.

Russia's ties with the West were strained due to the situation in the Caucasus region, where Georgia is bidding for NATO membership despite Russia's opposition.